Led Into the Lead
by Gogo Starship
Summary: Rachel Berry hates Vocal Adrenaline, which her mother just so happens to coach. When they need a new female lead, will Jesse St. James be able to convince Rachel to step into the limelight?
1. Chapter 1

**Wooot, St. Berry! This is one of the requests I got, based off an idea from Mon Coeur that I absolutely adored. I'll be posting one of the other requests' first chapters soon, so keep a look out, yes? Also, have an idea for a one-shot? There's still one request left, so hurry! **

**Anyway, here's the first chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own glee... Do you HAVE to rub it in my face?  
**

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Rachel Berry woke up groggily, squinting at the intense sunlight streaming through her windows. Usually she woke up easily and got started on her elliptical machine, but as of late, she had essentially given up; she was already enrolled in three dance classes, what was the point of working herself to the bone? She sat up and looked for the reason as to why her blinds were open and found it quickly; her mother, Shelby Corcoran was standing at the edge of the bed, an uncharacteristically bright smile on her face. Rachel eyed her warily as she crossed her arms over her chest, wondering why her mother had woken her up. Luckily enough, it seemed that Shelby was more than willing to provide an answer.

"Rachel, sweetheart, I really need your help with something," Shelby said, an attempt at a motherly smile on her face. Rachel sighed, not at all surprised; her mother was never like this unless she needed help. Rachel climbed out of bed and stood, hands on her hips, a defiant look on her face. She watched as Shelby's smile hardened a bit; she could tell this wasn't going to be easy.

"You know Jesse St. James? He's in glee club?"

At her mother's words, Rachel stiffened; she had heard of Jesse St. James, ring-leader of the infamous show choir, Vocal Adrenaline. He was a player, a heartbreaker. Class-A jerk. Yes, Rachel knew all about him, and she also knew to stay the hell away from him.

"Yes, I know of him. He's only been over here a thousand times, going over ideas with you. He also egged Noah's car because he's in New Directions! I had to be picked up in a car splattered with dead baby chicks!" she said, her tone offended. Shelby sighed and matched her daughters stance, hands on her hips and a scowl on her face.

"I'm aware of what they did, Rachel, and I made them sing Barney songs as punishment, and they promised to never do it again as long as I'm coaching them, alright? Come on, baby, I need you to do this for me! It would mean the world to me," She smiled gently and Rachel's expression softened a bit. She stared into her mother's eyes for a moment, trying to find some kind of mischievous sparkle, but there was none. Her mom really needed her to do her a favor.

"What is it?" she asked, still fighting to look defiant, though she wasn't exactly succeeding. Shelby beamed and gave Rachel a hug.

"Jesse just needs a ride to school today. His car broke down and I would give him a ride, but I'm already on my way out the door, and six thirty is too early for a student to be at school when it starts at eight thirty," her mother explained, handing Rachel a ten dollar bill. "That's some gas money; Jesse lives pretty far out of the way. I already texted you his address and his number so that you can text him when you're there. Thank you so much, sweetie!"

And with that, Shelby jogged out of the room, not even giving her time to respond. Rachel sighed dramatically and opened her phone, opening her message inbox to see two new messages. The first was from her mom, containing an address and a phone number. The second was from Noah. Rachel grinned and opened it, letting out a small sigh at what it said.

_hey, rach. can't wait to c u tonight ;)_

Rachel shook her head slowly, a slight smile gracing her lips, though it had a sad quality to it. It was obvious what Noah was thinking about, and though she loved him, she was growing tired of his perverted ways. Tucking her phone in her bag, Rachel sighed and walked into her private bathroom, stripping and climbing into the shower. After about thirty minutes she climbed out and wrapped a towel tightly around her body before blow-drying her hair. She let the hot air blasting from the dryer warm her skin as she stared into her reflection, hoping time would go slowly; anything to have a few more blissful minutes before getting into the car with Jesse St. Jerkoff. She curled her hair and straightened her bangs, smiling as she winked at her own reflection.

Rachel dressed in a simple white dress with a pink cardigan, pairing it with her favorite black ballet flats. She could have put more effort into her looks, but she was in a foul mood, and she didn't want Jesse thinking she was dressing to impress him. Last, but not least, she put on her gold star necklace, smiling as it shone against her tanned skin. Rachel picked up her bag and jogged to her beat-up old Volkswagen Beetle, climbing in and starting the engine. She smiled and gave the dashboard a gentle pat, as was her usual routine. She smiled as Don't Rain on my Parade started playing, and immediately started to belt out the lyrics enthusiastically. She had been practicing the song since she was four, and in her opinion it was a perfect rendition. Rachel double-checked the address before plugging it into the GPS in her phone.

Pulling out of the space, Rachel grumbled, "I have to drive all the way to the other side of the city? Really? I'm going to pass school on the way to picking him up to take him to school!"

Thanking god that she had left early, Rachel started on her way.

In her opinion, she got there entirely too soon. Within what seemed like minutes, her phone informed her of her arrival. She almost couldn't believe that someone lived in the house she was currently parked in front of; it was more like a mansion. It was Victorian, large and white, with white columns and a beautiful façade. Rachel narrowed her eyes; this place made her house look like a shack. She quickly texted the number her mother had given her, making no effort to be polite.

_I'm here. Hurry up._

Placing her phone back in her bag, Rachel waited impatiently, watching the door, half-hoping it wouldn't open. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on her side, as soon, Jesse was out the door and almost jogging toward her car. He climbed in quickly, a grateful smile gracing his handsome face. Rachel just stared at him, and soon, his smile fell, replaced with a rather confused expression.

"Thanks for the ride... I really appreciate it. So... you're Coach Corcoran's daughter. Nice. It must be pretty cool, seeing your mom in action every day," he said, trying bravely to strike up conversation. Rachel almost pitied him. But not quite.

"It's not all it's cracked up to be, trust me," she said coldly, pulling away from the curb. "She's controlling, nosy, and it makes it so much harder to endure school. I used to love school, before she started working there."

Jesse seemed surprised, staring at her like she just spoke complete gibberish. "Really? I think it would be cool to have such an involved parent. Mine don't care enough to be nosy."

Rachel bites her lip, trying to keep from being sympathetic, but her heart aches a little at his words; she knows what it feels like to have uninvolved parents. Her dad, Hiram Berry, had wanted nothing to do with her after he fell in love with his now-husband Leroy.

"It's not so bad, I guess, but I have no life. It's so annoying," Rachel sighed. She glanced over at Jesse to see him toying with the stereo, and she immediately went back to rude-mode. "Excuse me, no touching the radio. This is Streisand, show some respect!" Jesse immediately raised his hands in surrender, a small grin on his face.

"Sorry, your Highness," he joked. "I was just going to see if you had some rock on there. But obviously not."

Rachel raised an eyebrow at him, her lips pressed into a hard line as she reached into the glove box, rummaging around until she found her favorite Queen CD that she had burned herself, featuring her favorite songs. She raised it in victory before handing it to him. "Don't have rock," she said scornfully. "Please. Of course I have rock. Do you know my mother?"

Jesse chuckled and slid the CD into the slot, his grin widening when he realized who it was. "Queen? Wow, good taste," he complimented, drumming the tune of the song against his knees. Rachel cracked a smile, but quickly stifled it. She was not getting along with Jesse St. James. She refused to. Luckily, her phone rang, and she quickly fished it out of her bag, smiling when she saw Noah was calling.

"Hello, Noah!" she greeted cheerfully, turning onto the freeway. She was, unfortunately, still fifteen minutes away from school.

"Where are you, babe? I came to give you a ride and you aren't here!" Noah Puckerman replied, sounding hurt. He seemed to realize this and quickly covered it with his usual smugness. "I mean, come on! Don't you want a ride from your badass boyfriend?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't know you were going to give me a ride. I had to pick up someone from my mom's team, I would have told you if I..."

"Wait," he interrupted. His tone was livid and Rachel grimaced; Noah could be a real jerk when he was mad. "Her team? As in Vocal Adrenaline? Rach, they egged my car!" His voice was so loud it was obvious Jesse heard every word, and she could see the cogs turning in his brain.

"Wait," Jesse said, "You're friends with someone from the competition?" he asked, his eyes disbelieving. Rachel rolled her eyes at him and covered the mouthpiece.

"Noah and I are dating, and he's not _my_ competition, so why should it matter?" She didn't give him time to respond, quickly replying to what Noah had said before.

"Yes, I'm aware. You picked me up the day it happened, remember?" Rachel sighed. "Listen, he needs a ride-"

"He? Who is 'he'?" Noah demanded. Rachel rolled her eyes; why did he always have to be jealous?

"'He' is Jesse, Noah Puckerman, and I refuse to allow you to talk to me like this any further. I'm in the car, on the freeway, and I'm pretty sure a cop is right behind me, so I have to go! I'll see you later, okay? And no, not tonight, I have jazz and ballet!" She hung up the phone and shoved it angrily into her bag, ignoring it as it rung obnoxiously. She could see Jesse smirking slightly at her in her peripheral vision, and though she tried, she couldn't ignore it.

"What?" she snapped, hitting the gas a little to increase their speed; she wasn't really in a rush, she was just a bit reckless when upset. "What the hell are you smirking at?"

"Oh, nothing," Jesse grinned. "I was just thinking about how Coach Corcoran must have reacted when she found out you were dating someone from a rival show choir. What's he from? Snoral Intensity or No Directions?"

"He's from _New _Directions, and my mother reacted just fine, thank you very much!" she lied, her fists tightening on the steering wheel. She finally pulled into a parking spot at Carmel and turned to Jesse, a scowl on her face. "Not that any of that is your business. Now, if you'll please get out of my car, I'd greatly appreciate it."

Jesse chuckled and climbed out of the car, but not before sending Rachel a wink that definitely did not go unnoticed.

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**-holds Jesse at gunpoint- REVIEW OR ELSE!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2! Thanks to all who reviewed! **

**I don't own Glee, I KNOW x(  
**

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Jesse St. James walked through the halls of Carmel, a satisfied smirk on his handsome face. He was in such high spirits that not even the glares of the kids who he had egged could bring him down (he felt guilty about egging them, of course, but it's not like he had a choice). He opened his locker, still smirking, before acknowledging Giselle.

She, too, was in Vocal Adrenaline. Having excellent dance and leadership skills, she made an excellent second in command. She had great power over the others- granted, not as much as him, but still enough to keep them in control, and it was useful.

"I have terrible news," she said gravely, the bags under her eyes more pronounced than usual. Jesse rolled his eyes; usually Giselle's terrible news had something to do with the something stupid, like their costumes being 'the wrong shade of blue'.

"Please, Giselle, do tell," he said sarcastically, shoving his Economics book into his locker. Giselle paused dramatically before saying, as grave as could be:

"We don't have a female lead."

Jesse fought back a gasp, leaning against the locker next to his as he stared, wide-eyed and accusatory, at Giselle.

"Don't joke about those kind of things!" he snapped, slamming his locker shut. Giselle sighed and placed her hands on her hips, leaning in slightly; it was the pose she usually took when she was about to dish some dirt.

"I would never joke about something like this, Jesse!" She tossed her hair annoyingly and glanced around suspiciously, as if expecting someone to jump out and arrest her for spreading gossip. She took a deep breath before continuing. "I was staying a little late at practice to get down that complicated move with the one-eighty... And I overheard Coach talking to a mom from booster club about how all the audition-ees sucked and if we didn't find a good enough person soon, she would give the role to Melissa!"

Jesse's eyes widened and he rested his head against his locker, panic flooding his body. "Melissa?" he demanded, his voice dripping anger. "She sucks! She couldn't keep up with me if her life depended on it!" Suddenly, an image of Rachel humming along with Streisand popped into his head, and Jesse straightened, looking Giselle in the eye, his gaze intense.

"What about Coach Corcoran's daughter?" he suggested. "I mean, they're so alike... She must have gotten her talent, right?" Giselle beamed at him like he had just told her that she was going to be sole captain of Vocal Adrenaline.

"That's perfect! She's an amazing singer! How could I have forgotten? She's so great, Jesse! Just as talented as you are!"

"How do you know?" Jesse asked, stung that she thought someone's talent rivaled his own, and jealous that she had heard Rachel's voice before he had gotten to.

"I was at Coach's house, helping her with the choreography for the Highway to Hell routine, and I overheard her singing Don't Rain on My Parade. It was amazing, I just stood there staring for like, two minutes before she turned around and caught me. We have to get her to join, Jess, we would blow them away even more at Nationals!" Her face slowly sagged and she gave an annoyed sigh. "But she hates Vocal Adrenaline. She told me that about a thousand times when she was telling me off for eavesdropping. She'd never join, she despises us."

Jesse smirked and slung his bag over his shoulder, a plan already formulating in his devious mind as he whipped out his phone, composing a text to Shelby.

_Hey, where does Rachel take jazz/ballet?_

Rachel walked into the ballet studio, making sure to wave goodbye to her mother as she drove away.

Taking in the familiar surroundings, Rachel waltzed over to her favorite spot on the bar, right under the air conditioner and at the corner, so she could get two perspectives as she danced. She placed her hand on the golden rail, lifting her leg to stretch her hamstrings. She heard a quiet, familiar voice in her ear and jumped, almost falling flat on her back.

"Well, if it isn't Rachel Berry. What a pleasant surprise."

"Jesse," Rachel gasped, placing her hand over her heart, which was beating twice as fast as usual. Jesse chuckled, smiling innocently down at her. The young ingénue rolled her eyes and continued to stretch, trying to ignore him. Unfortunately, her nagging curiosity got the best of her.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, standing gently on her toes, her arms stretched out in front of her to form a circle. She watched his expression carefully, looking for a reason to be suspicious.

"I needed a place to learn ballet and jazz, so here I am," he said simply, stretching as Rachel had before.

"You're a beginner?" Rachel asked incredulously, standing flat on her feet as she leaned down to touch her toes. She came back up to see Jesse smirking smugly at her.

"Yes, I am. But I'm such a terrific dancer that I can keep up," he said surely, copying Rachel's actions easily.

"Jesse, this is a very advanced class. I've been learning ballet for ten years, and I still have trouble keeping up." This was a lie; Rachel understood the moves and executed them perfectly, but Jesse would make a fool of himself if he tried. Rachel's eyes widened and she smiled; this might be a once in a lifetime chance to see Jesse St. James, golden boy of Carmel, look like a fool.

"I can handle it, Rachel," he said, a little patronizing. Rachel grinned wickedly and took a sip of water as the teacher started setting up.

"We'll see," she said in a sing-song voice, still grinning like the Cheshire cat. Jesse smirked, looking excited to take on the challenge.

"Bring it, Berry."

By the time ballet was over, Jesse was a violent shade of red and Rachel was nursing an injured foot, though she had a highly amused look on her face.

"I told you that class was advanced," she giggled, limping over to the crosswalk. Jesse ran up to her, his brow furrowed with concern as he watched her walk carefully on her injured ankle.

"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded, stopping her by placing a hand on her shoulder lightly. She turned to face him, an exasperated look on her face.

"I'm going to my jazz dancing class, Jesse. It's right there," she pointed a to a studio about one block away, "And I can handle the two minute walk just fine. She tried to keep walking, but suddenly her legs were knocked out from underneath her. She fell into Jesse's waiting arms, and it took her a moment to realize what had happened: Jesse had literally swept her off her feet, and was now carrying her bridal style.

"Put me down!" she demanded, slapping him on the chest. Jesse rolled his eyes and tightened his grip a little, though he looked highly amused.

"Rachel, I dropped you. You probably sprained your ankle. I refuse to let you walk, much less participate in strenuous activities."

Rachel could tell he wasn't going to let her go, so she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, making sure he didn't drop her again, though she highly doubted it; he was obviously strong, carrying her as if she weighed ten pounds. She studied his face and her face sagged a little; he looked upset.

"I'm not mad, you know. Some ibuprofen and a bit of rest and I'll be fine," she assured, resting her head on his shoulder and smiling up at him. He smiled down at her, though he still looked a little guilty. Rachel realized how couple-y they must have looked, and Noah's face flashed in her mind, and her stomach twisted with guilt when she realized how little that affected her.

"You should be," he said with a bit of humor in his eyes. "If someone dropped me, I know I'd be pissed."

"I guess I'm just more forgiving than you," she teased as Jesse set her down lightly on the bench, sitting next to her and lifting her feet to rest in his lap. She smiled gratefully at him and got as comfortable as possible on the hard stone bench.

"I guess you are," he chuckled, shaking his head slowly. He seemed to be getting over his embarrassment. A mischievous glint entered his eyes, and he smiled casually, resting his arms on the back of the bench. "You're a pretty good dancer."

Rachel stiffened slightly, suspicion creeping up, but she smiled proudly and nodded. "Dancing is my passion. I love singing, too, and I plan to be on Broadway someday."

"Are you any good at singing?" he asked, that glitter in his eye growing more pronounced as Rachel's suspicion grew stronger. She ignored it, though; she was just being paranoid, and she loved getting the chance to tell people about her dream.

"I'm wonderful, actually. My star qualities are the most important thing in my life. That's probably what drew me to Puck; a fellow star is always good in my books. Though," she sagged a little, "He isn't serious about it. He doesn't care about being a star, and it's such a shame, because he has a good voice. Not as good as me, but he has potential."

"If you want to be a star so badly, why not just join Vocal Adrenaline?"

Rachel's eyes widened and she gasped, standing up and crossing her arms in anger. She ignored the pain in her ankle and stared him down, her chocolate eyes glaring into his with such fierceness that she was surprised she wasn't burning a hole in his head.

"My mother put you up to this!" she snarled, her eyes wide as she bit back the curse words dangling on the tip of her tongue. "You stalked me to convince me! I bet you didn't even need a ride!"

"Rachel, calm down," he said slowly, looking surprised at her reaction. "Your mother didn't put me up to anything, and the idea just popped into my mind. I'm sorry I brought it up, I didn't know it was such a sore subject for you."

"It is a sore subject! You Vocal Adrenalites egg people, mock them, deride them because they're not exactly like you! I want nothing to do with that," she said stiffly. Her ankle screamed in protest as she turned on her heel and stormed away, walking normally even though she felt like she was going to pass out from pain. Dialing her mom's number on her phone, Rachel pressed the phone to her ear, waiting impatiently for her mother to answer. Jesse caught up with her and wrapped his arm around her waist to support most of her weight, making sure she didn't hurt herself further.

"Mom, can you come pick me up? I hurt my ankle in ballet, so I can't really go to jazz anymore. Jesse won't let me," she pouted like a petulant child, causing Jesse to laugh quietly before snatching the phone out of Rachel's hand.

"Sorry, ma'am, just making sure she doesn't injure herself further. She's walking around, but it's obvious she's in pain." He paused and listened to Shelby speak for a moment before continuing. "Yes, ma'am, I'll see you soon."

Jesse grinned devilishly before picking Rachel up again and carrying her to the bench, sitting her in the same position as before. She glared at him as they sat in stoic silence for what felt like eternity before Shelby arrived. Rachel and Jesse climbed in the car, making sure Rachel's feet were elevated properly in Jesse's lap, before Rachel broke the silence.

"Thanks for being so caring, Jesse," she said, though it looked like she had tasted something bitter. He chuckled and shrugged easily, and Rachel relaxed a little.

"It's the least I can do after I dropped you," he laughed, though he looked a little guilty. Rachel grinned softly at him. "Besides, I needed some excuse to go through with your mother's wicked plans for me to seduce you into joining Vocal Adrenaline." Rachel pouted at his obvious teasing.

"You're infuriating," she told him petulantly. He snickered.

"You love it." Rachel opened her mouth to retort, but her mother said something before she should to stop their teasing.

"Who wants some non-dairy ice cream?"

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**Reviews are what makes me keep going, so if I don't get enough I lose motivation! REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Oh, yay! An update! A long-awaited update! EXCITING! I KNOW! I'M SHAKING, LOOK! –shoves quivering hands in your face- LOOK!**

**Okay, so I took mylove09's idea, just kind of changed it up a bit. They both heard each other sing, just them, for the first time. Big step! YAY!**

**Also, we're already getting into the real action. Rachel will join VA within the next two chapters. **

**ANNNNDDDD Jesse is coming back! –hyperventilates-**

**Disclaimer; No. I don't own Glee. Or the Beatles. But I own my little plot bunny! I named him Oreo :3**

Rachel smiled as she walked down the hall, the sound of Defying Gravity blasting through her headphones drowning out every other noise in the crowd. She finally escaped the throng and made it to her locker, much to her relief. She entered the combination and shoved her bag inside, her claustrophobia overpowering her need for order. She quickly grabbed her Chemistry book and started down the hall to her classroom, but the crowd had gotten too thick. Rachel bit her lip and took a deep, steadying breath before darting into the first classroom she saw. It didn't really register in her mind that she had gone into the choir room until she heard a soft, angelic voice, accompanied by the smooth sound of the piano.

Jesse St. James sat in the corner, his eyes closed as he poured his heart and soul into the song. Rachel immediately recognized it to be Yesterday by the Beatles.

Yesterday,  
All my troubles seemed so far away,  
Now it looks as though they're here to stay,  
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Rachel hesitantly moved forward, her mouth slightly agape. Sure, she had heard Jesse sing before in school assemblies (she always refused to go to Vocal Adrenaline's competitions, despite her mom's constant begging), but this was completely different. There was no distracting dance moves, the music wasn't too loud, no voices in the background were clashing with his. This was just him and his talent, and he was magnificent. Rachel made sure to stay completely silent, not wanting to ruin the moment.

_Suddenly,  
I'm not half the man I used to be,  
There's a shadow hanging over me,  
Oh, yesterday came suddenly._

Why she  
Had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say.  
I said,  
Something wrong, now I long for yesterday.

His voice seemed to snake around the room, pulling her in closer, and she couldn't stop tip-toeing closer. She released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding; she couldn't believe she was acting like that! Yes, she could appreciate talent, but in all honesty, she had never expected to come across someone she could almost consider as talented as she was.

_Yesterday,_  
_Love was such an easy game to play,  
Now I need a place to hide away,  
Oh, I believe in yesterday._

Why she  
Had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say.  
I said,  
Something wrong, now I long for yesterday.

Rachel couldn't keep quiet any longer; she cleared her throat and started the next verse with Jesse, though his voice faded out as he whipped around to stare at her, looking like a deer in the headlights.

_**Yesterday,**__  
__Love was such an easy game to play,  
Now I need a place to hide away,  
Oh, I believe in yesterday._"The Beatles," she said quietly, her cheeks painted red. "That's actually one of my favorites by them. It really suited your voice."

Jesse cleared his throat and smiled awkwardly; Rachel bit back a laugh. "Thanks. It's the first song I've ever performed in front of a crowd. Even at four I sang it quiet well."

Rachel grinned and sat next to him, tinkering lightly on the ivory keys in front of her. "Four? Really?" she asked, her eyes glittering as she finally met his eyes. "I won my first competition when I was three months. I was very musically vocal." Her smile widened as Jesse laughed, though she tried to quell it a bit. She felt a strange sort of guilt every time she smiled around Jesse, and Noah's face would always flash in her mind's eye. She always pegged it to being a good girlfriend, but she was starting to doubt herself, and she had only been friends with Jesse for about a day.

"Well, I guess some of us just needed a bit more time to practice than others," Jesse joked. His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket. Rachel watched as his eyes scanned the screen and his face dropped as his head fell against the piano keys and his phone snapped shut. A long, sharp A hung awkwardly in the air.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked, her brow furrowing as she placed a gentle hand on Jesse's arm. She ignored the electricity that shot up her arm on contact; he probably just shocked her.

"Freakin' Melisa wants to sing a Party in the USA and Somebody to Love mashup. And I'm not talking Queen. I'm talking Justin Bieber. I can't sing that, it's beneath me!" he sighed, lifting his head to frown at her. "And, unfortunately, Miley Cyrus is too good for her. You have no idea what I have to deal with."

Rachel scoffed and shook her head. "Oh, yes. Everyone loves you, you and your posse are top dog, you have four National trophies in your possession, and essentially any college on the planet will accept you. Life is so rough."

Jesse raised an eyebrow at her and placed a hand on his chest in mock-offense. "I have a lot on my plate. My co-captain is crazy, I have practice till midnight almost every night of the week before a competition, and everyone expects me to be perfect. It's a lot of pressure."

"You're a drama queen."

"Excuse me?" Jesse gasped, looking as if he had just been slapped. Rachel laughed loudly, unable to respond without almost choking on her words.

"You're a drama queen…. And that's… that's coming from _me_!" She broke into even more giggles as Jesse gasped once more.

"Rachel Berry, I am so offended I could spit. I am the furthest from a drama queen as one can be!" he sulked. He glared at her for a minute before her laughter finally seemed to get to him; his face softened as he chuckled and stood up, offering his hand. "Come on, Rach, let's get you to class. Maybe Chemistry will bore you out of your little giggle fit."

Rachel stood and took his hand, Noah Puckerman in the very back of her mind. "Oh, trust me, I think Chemistry will definitely do the trick," she laughed, her voice a little breathless. "You know, maybe all you Vocal Adrenalites aren't all bad. I mean, you have the ability to apologize, and you don't take yourself _too _seriously… Well," she paused, stroking an imaginary beard as if in heavy consideration. "At least you can apologize. It was really cool of you to pay for the ice cream last night. That was very chivalrous of you."

Jesse puffed out his chest and looked pleased with himself. "Yes, I know. I was surprised how good it was, though. I thought non-dairy ice cream would taste kind of completely disgusting, to be honest. But it was really good."

"Yeah, I found it after my father tried to reconcile with me. He took me to an ice cream place, and I wasn't able to have any. I just sat there and watched as he enjoyed his mint chip and talked about his husband."

"Wait, your dad is gay?"

"Yeah. He left my mom for this guy Leroy…." Rachel gasped and covered her mouth, realizing she wasn't supposed to tell anybody. "Oh, gosh, Jesse, you can't tell anybody I told you that! My mom will kill me! And so help me Jesse, if you even dare to mention the name Leroy in front of her, I will—"

"Rachel, relax," Jesse soothed, a smile growing on his face. "I won't tell a soul… If you do me a favor."

"Are you blackmailing me?" Rachel gasped, her eyes blazing as she released her grip on his hand. "How dare you! I—"

"I'll see you at lunch, Rach. Get to class." Jesse turned the corner, sending a quick text to Giselle and leaving one very angry Rachel Berry in his wake.

_I know how to get Rachel to join._

**Heehee, Jesse is wonderful even when he's a jerk. I do love him. So, yeah, review. OR ELSE!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Woooot. Two updates in two days? I am on fia! Yeah, I know. So, guys, seriously. Review for me. Or I'll cry, and never update ever ever ever again! You don't want that, do you? D: No. So review.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Damn.**

The period of time between Jesse's encounter with Rachel and lunch, his day passed in a blur of lectures and excited texts from the other 'Vocal Adrenalites', as Rachel liked to call them.

_Dude, u got berry? howd u manage that? _

_Thank god you got rachel. Melisa scked!_

_Jess, u work miracles._

The rest had the same essential context.

When lunch finally rolled around, Jesse sent Rachel a text to meet him the choir room as he cut to the front of the lunch line, grabbing only a Gatorade, then quickly making his way to the other side of the school. He opened the door to see Rachel pacing furiously across the floor, muttering under her breath as she kept her clenched fists firmly at her sides. When she saw Jesse she stormed over to him, getting in his face as she opened her mouth to speak, but he raised a hand and smiled.

"Rachel, sit. Relax. What I'm asking you… It's not that big of a deal, really. I mean, you'll think it is, and you'll probably hate me for forever, but it's… It's for the greater good." He paused dramatically and sat on the piano bench, gently patting the place beside him. Rachel crossed her arms over her chest and stood stiffly, refusing to move. Jesse pinched the bridge of his nose. "Rachel, I don't bite. Please sit down."

"No."

"Rachel, you're being a diva. But fine, whatever. Want to know the favor?"

Rachel took a deep breath and nodded, her face set in anger. "Fine. Tell me."

"You're joining Vocal Adrenaline."

"WHAT?" Rachel yelped, her heart pounding as she placed her hands on the piano, trying to keep from either crying or punching the living holy hell out of Jesse's arm. "I… No! Tell my mom, whatever! I don't care! I'm not joining Vocal Adrenaline!"

"Rachel, don't make me guilt you into it…." Jesse warned, tinkering with the piano as he stared at her reaction, making sure she didn't lunge at him.

"Like you could. Nothing will get me to join you, absolutely nothing could ever—"

"Think of how your mother will feel! I know she keeps pictures of Hiram around the house, I know she puts up this whole façade to keep her secret! How embarrassed do you think she'll be if she finds out that her secret is spilled? She'll be mortified!" he said, standing up and walking over to Rachel, grabbing her hands in his and staring into her eyes pleadingly. "Please, Rach. This would mean the world to me. When I heard your voice, I…." His voice faded and his eyes seemed to glaze over, as if he were reminiscing about a fond memory. "Rachel, your voice… It was beautiful. It made my heart race, and I never wanted it to end. And think of the opportunities it would bring! You would be a star, you could go to Nationals for New York, people would respect you and your talent, and there's always college scouts. You would get such great offers… It'll be amazing." He gave her hands a squeeze and pulled them toward his chest, his green-blue eyes pleading with her. "Please. If you don't help, and I don't get my fourth win… I lose my scholarship. Please."

Rachel's eyes softened and she entwined her fingers with his, though she still looked hesitant. "Jesse, I just… I can't…. I mean, you have to understand, it goes against everything I believe in… And I could never go against my beliefs. Without them, I'm nothing but a pretty face and a pretty voice." Sure, she was having a bit of a moment with him, but that wasn't going to stop her from giving herself a little ego boost.

Jesse smiled softly. "Rachel, I understand that… But come on, do it for me, please? For your best friend?" He pouted adorably, refusing to break his stare as she giggled.

"What does my best friend Kurt have to do with this?" she asked with a smirk, her giggles growing as he looked mortally offended. "Oh, come on, Jesse. We've hung out for one day. You expect me to just instantly consider you my best friend?"

In all honestly, Rachel could see herself being best friends with Jesse. He was talented, smart, gorgeous, funny, he liked musical theater and Queen. He could dance in an advanced class and almost pull it off on his first day ever, and he didn't judge her or mock her for being a vegan like Noah did. He was like her male counterpart, and she already considered him one of her closest friends.

"Rachel…. I am so hurt I might cry."

"Do you consider me your best friend?" she asked dubiously. He shrugged.

"Well… You're a close second," he admitted, trying not to chuckle as she nodded in a business-like manner.

"Exactly. We each have our own respective best friends."

Jesse nodded slightly before realizing he was trying to make a point. "So, as one of your closest friends, I beg of you. Join. Please. I will give you a ride to school all year if you want, and you won't have to pay a cent for gas. I will do anything. Just… Please. Don't make me sing Justin Bieber with wannabe Hannah Montana."

"Jesse…," she started, though one look into his eyes wavered her resolve. "I will think about it and get back to you tomorrow. Okay? And if I say no, you can't tell my mom. Becaus you care about me, and I'm your second closest friend, and you would never do that to me."

Jesse ran a hand through his hair and sighed dramatically. "Fine, but know this! I will not sleep a blink tonight, and then tomorrow, I will not be able to focus in class. And then I'll fail my tests, which will depress me, and then my grades will drop even more drastically. I'll flunk out, be forced to work at the Burger King down the street, and everyone will refer to me as the guy who cries into the french fry oil. Do you want me to be known as the crier-fryer?"

"Well, it would be kind of funny," Rachel admitted. Jesse started to protest, but she cut him off. "I will think about it, and don't try to pressure me. Because I do not succumb to peer pressure. You think people haven't given me grief for my animal sweaters?" she asked, gesturing to the owl on her navy sweater. Jesse raised an eyebrow and pinched the fabric with his fingertips, staring into the owl's wide eyes.

"Well, its certainly unique. It fits you." Rachel smiled and nodded her thanks before grabbing her bag off the floor and making her leave. She hesitated in the doorway and turned to Jesse, her lips pursed skeptically. "I'll think about it, Jesse…. See you later."

"I'll text you," he replied, watching her as she left. He pulled out his phone and sent out another text to Giselle, a slight smile on his lips.

_Pop the bubbly, Gissy. I think I got her._

**So, review or I die a little inside.**


	5. Chapter 5

**So, new chapter. Longer than usual, how awesome of me! So, I realized that there were somethings I forgot to say about the last episode. **

**Sam is nice. Santana is a mega bitch. DON'T GO THERE, RYAN MURPHY (Disclaimer: He owns Glee, unlike me)! I BEG OF YOU! STOP IT! **

**I also don't like Puck and Lauren together, although I abso-tively posi-lutely adore romantic Puck :)**

**And Blaine, as always, was amazing. Darren Criss has been my favorite actor for years! He's also my future hubbie, you know ;)**

**Enough of my psycho-ramble... WAIT!**

**Did you know Glee concert tickets were a fifteen hundred dollars? Psha, no thanks. **

**Anyway, read on! **

* * *

Rachel hesitantly walked into the school's large auditorium, Jesse only a step behind her the whole way, there for both support and to give her the push she needed. She stopped short, her mouth agape as she watched her mother screaming in a girl's face.

"YOU MISSED THE TURN, AND AFTER FOUR SEVEN HOUR REHERSALS? REALLY, MELISSA! I THOUGHT YOU WOULD KNOW HOW TO DO THIS BY NOW! I—" Shelby noticed her daughter and immediately the yelling stopped. She held up her finger to Melissa, silently telling her to wait a minute. "Hey, baby, what are you doing here?"

"Hey, Mom," Rachel said, waving her hand a second too late for it to look natural. "I'm kind of here to audition for female lead. I heard you were looking, and… I guess it would look good on my college applications. I mean, although I'm only a sophomore, I need to start thinking about these things- Juilliard will look highly upon a National title, if we end up winning. Also, I—"

"Sweetie, you're ranting again. And we are, in fact, looking for a female lead."

The girl Shelby was yelling at stood and crossed her arms over her chest. She was tall and thin, with wispy blond hair and dark hazel eyes. She reminded Rachel of a less pretty Quinn Fabray, one of Noah's New Directions friends. "Shelby, I'm the female lead! You gave me the job last week, re-mem-ber? Jesse threw a fit about it!" She enunciated every syllable, and her S's were as sharp as knives, and as she spoke she occasionally threw Jesse angry glares. Rachel looked away and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, biting her tongue and trying to keep her inner-diva locked away inside. She would only unleash it _after_ she got the part.

"Melissa, you are not in my good books right now, so I suggest you keep your mouth shut. It seems to have slipped your mind that you are a temporary lead, and will be replaced if and when we found someone better. You will be respectful and unbiased after her performance, and if you so much as mutter a word, you will be out of the group permanently." Shelby took a deep breath to calm herself and turned to Rachel. "You need to perform one song to audition, and to make sure you can dance, Giselle- our co-captain and best dancer in the group- will show you a few moves, and you must follow suit. You may tell our band your selection and warm up. You have five minutes, starting now."

Rachel nodded and rushed up to the stage, whispering her song selection in the pianist's ear, then proceeding to do so with all of the band members. She was a little surprised they all knew it; it wasn't a very common song, though it was one of her favorites.

"Me me me me me me me…!" Rachel began quietly.

"You you you you you you you…!"

Rachel jumped a foot in the air and whirled around to see Jesse smiling behind her. She grinned nervously. "Me me me me me me me…!"

They continued to warm up like that, smiling goofily at each other and poking each other each time one did exceptionally well. Finally, Shelby told her it was time, and the smile faded from Rachel's face as she put on a look of melancholia; it was the only look that went with the song. She nodded at the band, and the song's opening chords played as she stepped forward, head bowed until it was her time to sing.

_I don't know how long I've been here  
the days all run together  
You're gone but you won't disappear  
Traces of you will last forever_

Rachel fought a smile as she heard their intake of breath; the instantaneous crowd reaction was a reason why she so yearned to work on Broadway.

_It feels like...  
If I hold my breath you'll walk in any second  
and tell me it was all a mistake, cant believe that you left and  
It haunts me to hold you this close  
but hurts me more to let go  
That's why I'm still loving ghosts  
_

Rachel opened her eyes slightly (they had closed as she had started the song- it helped her get into it, but of course she could perform with her eyes open) and saw Jesse beaming up at her, whispering fervently in Giselle's ear. A knot formed in Rachel's stomach, but she ignored it.

_They say I should get on with my life  
but I can't even get up  
I'd rather believe in this beautiful lie  
than admit you're really gone forever  
_

Rachel's voice rose slightly as the she neared the climax of the song, her perfect pitch echoing beautifully through the room.

_Every sense is screaming  
every hair stands on my skin  
every room I feel it. You are here, ohhh  
Baby I'm not seeing, but I'm still believing  
My heartbreak a chance worth taking  
so on this floor I'll still be waiting  
_

Her voice dropped to a haunting whisper as she song neared a close, her eyes closing as she stood perfectly still, and even though she looked quiet and withdrawn, she knew she owned that stage.

_and OH...I feel you this close now  
...I'm still loving ghosts now  
_  
The music faded out as a bright smile fixed itself onto Rachel's face. Vocal Adrenaline clapped loudly, and Rachel could have sworn she heard a view people praising God.

"Well, Rachel, congratulations. You've passed the first test. Giselle can take you to the dressing room so you can change into your gym clothes. I know you have them; you always go to 24 Hour Fitness on Fridays. Will you take her there, Giselle?" Although Shelby posed it as a question, her tone showed that Giselle had no choice.

"Of course, Ms. Corcoran. I need to change anyway." She scooped a bag off the floor and tucked her arm in Rachel's, whisking her away to the dressing room. Rachel changed in front of Giselle wearily; the girl was very thin and tall, and Rachel couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious next to her. After putting on light-weight pink cotton sweats and a white t-shirt, Rachel pulled back her hair and stepped outside the door, waiting for Giselle, who had tight yoga pants and an equally tight tank top. Rachel felt another knot form in her stomach, but ignored it; maybe her soymilk was disagreeing with her.

"Ready to show them your killer moves?" Giselle asked with a smile, tucking her arm in Rachel's once again. The latter nodded and smiled as confidently as she could.

"Of course. I just hope I don't fall flat on my face. I doubt that my mom will appreciate a bloody stage," Rachel chuckled. Giselle snickered along with her.

"Yes, I suppose that would be a slight annoyance to Shelby. But don't worry, I'll give you some easy moves, and compared to Melissa, anyone looks good."

"Yeah, how can someone not pull off a simple turn? And all Jesse says about her is negative. It seems her taste in music was bad, too. Justin Beiber and Miley Cyrus? Hardly competition material. You can't really showcase your vocals with those types of singers; they kind of talk," Rachel ranted. She bit her lip to stop the flow of words that were escaping against her will.

"I know! I was so horrified when she suggested that. I mean, we wouldn't sing it at a competition, but once and a while Shelby likes to push our boundaries with—"

"Girls, are you changing in there, are building a rocketship? Five seconds, and for every second you're late you do ten pushups!"

Rachel and Giselle simultaneously sprinted to the stage and made it with one second to spare. When Shelby gestured for them to begin, Giselle immediately dove into a complicated number that Rachel could barely follow. She stopped twirling and busted out laughing at the look on Rachel's face.

"I'm kidding! That's too complicated. Okay, here's—"

"No, Giselle. Make her do that. One more time, but stop before the twirl, not after. Only a complete idiot," Shelby threw Melissa a glare, "would miss something that simple."

Rachel stared at her mother in shock for a moment before turning back to Giselle as she repeated her earlier motions, going a bit slower this time. Rachel gulped; she couldn't do that. She actually had bones to prevent her from doing things like that, unlike Giselle, it seemed. She took a deep, shaky breath, giving herself a moment to collect herself. She then stood up straight, and, although a bit slower than she was sure the other girl on stage could, she repeated the movements as closely as she could. She let out a little sigh of relief; at least she didn't fall.

"Well," Shelby started, her lips pursed, "You're certainly the best auditionee I've seen so far. Congratulations, Rachel, you are now the female lead of Vocal Adrenaline. Go buy a couple water bottles from the machine; we have a long practice ahead of us."

"I already have a water bottle. I always take one to gym," Rachel said with a wide smile, barely registering the words as she jumped for joy on the inside. She was the lead! Sure, she hated Vocal Adrenaline and all it stood for, but it was quite the accomplishment! Female lead of a show choir that had won Nationals for six years running!

"Jesse, take Rachel to get some more water and explain why she'll need it," her mother said flippantly. Jesse sighed and reached for Rachel's hand from beneath the stage, helping her down and dragging her toward the cafeteria.

"Rachel, as Regionals is coming up in a month, so our practices are extended. This is our first one running until midnight, and there will be a practice like this everyday. You're a vegan, right? Well, you need to eat a lot of protein, drink lots of caffeine, and _stay hydrated,_" Jesse told her, slipping a bill into the machine and pressing the Dasani button five time. "And remember, get mineral water. Not sparkling, though. And make sure you have three spare workout outfits with you at all times; Shelby is nasty when people only have streets. One time, she made a girl run three miles around school. It ruined her clothes completely; I know because she wouldn't stop complaining about it. Oh, and—"

"Jesse, enough," Rachel giggled. She held to show she wanted to stop, but she had a water bottle in each hand- Jesse had been kind enough to carry three for her. "I really appreciate it, but it's a but too much to handle right now. You can explain all the inner-workings of Vocal Adrenaline to me later, I promise. You can come over on Saturday!" She smiled at the idea. As they entered the auditorium once again, Rachel placed her waters near her bag and stood hesitantly by Jesse's side. He seemed to sense her cluelessness and smirked.

"Don't worry, you'll know what to do the second Shelby opens her mouth. She's very direct with—"

"Alright, guys! I want four rows of ten, in boy-girl order! So partner up and get in line!"

Vocal Adrenaline practice was the most grueling thing Rachel had ever gone through in her life. If it weren't for baby wipes, her makeup bag, and her change of clothes, Rachel was sure she would be one sweaty mess.

Jesse was amazing. She and him had been partners, as the two leads, and he was a fantastic performer, as well as dance partner. He supported her, lead her through everything, and made it so she barely had to exert any effort whatsoever. She was walking out of the auditorium with Jesse, and a tall teenage boy walked out in front of them. Rachel stopped and raised her eyebrows in question at the boy, and he ruffled his hair before offering his hand.

"Hey, I'm Finn. You're Rachel, right? Puckerman said you were a Jew, and you look like a Jew, so…" He paused, his eyes widening comically as he realized how offensive that must have sounded. "I mean, not that there's anything wrong with that!"

Rachel looked at Jesse dubiously, silently accusing him of setting up a practical joke. He raised his hands in surrender. "It's okay, I understand that I possess certain Jewish attributes. May I ask why you're here, Finn? It's past midnight, and I'm sure your parents are wondering where you are."

Finn's face hardened. "I don't give a crap. I have more important stuff going on than breaking my frickin' curfew. Stuff that involves your asshole of a boyfriend. God, I'm so done with him!" Finn turned around and kicked a locker, leaving a large, foot-shaped dent in the powder blue metal. Rachel flinched, and Jesse wrapped a supportive arm around her, his face hard as he glared at the not-so Jolly Green Giant in front of them.

"Calm down, Frankenteen, you're scaring her," he snapped, not really caring how large the boy was; he would take him down if he was a danger to Rachel. Finn stood stock still, though his face was still red and he looked like he had just swallowed a lemon.

"My name is Finn," he snapped back, wiping his hands on his jeans angrily. "And I'm not gonna hurt her, not physically. My words might piss her off, though, I'm sure as hell in a bad mood. Your boyfriend Puck? He knocked up MY girlfriend!"

* * *

**Ten reviews till the next chapter. Apply to adopt The Power of Music!**


	6. Chapter 6

Rachel felt dizzy as she stared up at Finn, and desperately gripped the edge of her skirt; she needed _something _to hold onto. Noah would never cheat on her! Even if he was a little pushy sometimes, he was patient. He had always promised that he would wait until she was ready…

She had no idea he would be waiting whilst in bed with someone else.

Her optimistic side refused to listen to Finn. It was rationalizing it, trying to make Finn into a liar.

'_No way would he cheat! He must have found out somehow that I joined Vocal Adrenaline! He's just sending this guy as revenge for betraying his trust,' _it reasoned. A darker thought decided to but its ugly head.

'_Noah always said he was a sex shark. He had to keep going, or he would die. He must think I'm not worth his time. I'm not worth his time…?'_

Rachel realized she hadn't said anything and shook her head at Finn. "No, he wouldn't do that to me. He loves me too much to do that to me," she said quietly. Finn's face dropped.

"Yes, he did," Finn said softly. "He's a jackass. From what I've heard, you're awesome…. In a crazy, controlist way."

"Controlist isn't a word. I think you mean controlling," she said thoughtlessly. She felt kind of out of it. She rubbed her eyes in a preemptive strike against the tears threatening to spill. "Thank you for telling me this, Finn. I… Appreciate it. If you ever need to talk about it, I'm a wonderful listener." Her voice was so quiet she wasn't sure if he could hear her. Rachel turned and walked down the hall to her car. She sat there, doing nothing, until the passenger side door opened and Jesse slid in.

"Hi, Jesse. Do you need a ride?" she asked. He didn't say anything, simple pulling her close to him so that she was curled on his side. That opened up the floodgates, and tears slid down Rachel's cheeks as she shook with silent sobs.

"How could he do that to me?" she hiccuped, her voice muffled, as her face was buried in his chest. "I mean… He promised he would wait for me. I mean, aren't I worth it? It's such a big deal to me." She sat there crying for so long she fell asleep.

It broke Jesse's heart, seeing Rachel like this. He wanted to pummel that idiot- Noah, was it?- to a pulp for hurting the girl in his arms. Jesse gently slipped out of her grasp, managing to get into the driver's seat, and pulled Rachel to his side once again. He smiled as he passed his Range Rover; that meant that Rachel would have to give him a ride to pick it up in the morning, which was hardly a bad time. Every second spent with the singer made him even more enamored by her.

He pulled up to her house, silently thanking god for all those times he had to work on routines with Shelby. He gently picked her up and carried her into the house. Shelby was in the kitchen, much to his surprise; he would've assumed she would be asleep, as it was past one in the morning. When she saw him holding Rachel, she relaxed and ran over to him, leading him up the stairs to Rachel's room. When she was in bed and the door was closed, Shelby turned to Jesse and demanded an explanation.

"Why the hell does Rachel look like she's been crying, St. James? I swear to god, if you hurt her, you will be kicked out so fast—"

"Shelby, calm down. Rachel got some pretty shocking news about her boyfriend after practice, and she fell asleep comforting her, so I took her here. By the way, tell her she has to take me to get my car tomorrow. I left it behind to take her home."

"Well, that was good of you to do, Jesse. You're a good kid," Shelby said fondly. He smirked.

"Well, of course. Are you surprised?" Shelby chuckled through her nose. Jesse looked at the door to Rachel's room and his face drooped.

"What exactly did she find out about Puckerman?"

Jesse sighed and ran a hand through his curls. "Well, he knocked up his best friend's girlfriend. Said best friend was told, freaked out, and found Rachel to tell her. Some boy named Finn Hudson."

Shelby seethed, her fists clenched as she took deep, cleansing breaths to try and keep from punching everything within reach. "How _dare_ he do that to her. If I so much as _see_ that mohawk-headed jackass, I will _kill _him for hurting my baby." At the mention of Rachel, her face sagged and she opened the door a crack, staring sadly at her sleeping daughter. "How could anyone hurt her? I don't get it."

Jesse was shocked at the raw emotion in Shelby's voice, and he pulled her in for a one-armed coach. "Don't worry, Shelby. I won't let anyone hurt her. I can be like her emotional bodyguard, if you want."

"Okay. Just don't tell Rachel, okay? She would be upset with the both of us if she found out we thought she couldn't take care of herself."

Jesse chuckled. "Oh, I know she can take care of herself. She shouldn't have to, though, and I won't let her." He let out a loud yawn and closed Rachel's door gently. "I'll see you later, Shelby. I gotta go home and sleep."

"How are you going to get there without a car?" she asked. Jesse was stumped for a moment before he fished out his cell phone and waved it around like it was all the answer required.

"You are not going to wake up your parents just so they can give you a ride home, Jesse."

"Oh, I know. They're in Bali anyway," he said bitterly. "Big surprise, gone again. I was going to call a cab. I know a twenty-four hour service, and it's a bit steep, but I can afford it."

"No way, Jesse. You can spend the night, and Rachel can take you to get your car in the morning." Shelby swiped the phone from his hand and put it in her pocket. "You know where the guest room is, I imagine?"

"I think so, but honestly, I can handle the cab fair."

"You can," Shelby said with a smirk, throwing his earlier words back at him, "but you shouldn't have to."

Rachel woke up to the sweet smell of pancakes and practically floated out of bed and down stairs. Much to her shock, she saw Jesse sitting in the kitchen counter, conversing easily with Shelby as she flipped a blueberry pancake over on the skillet.

"Hey, Jesse. What are you doing here, it's only…" she glanced at the clock, "eight in the morning. Shouldn't you be at home sleeping off a midnight practice?"

Jesse shrugged and hopped off the counter, picking up a plate and handing it to Rachel; it was stacked high with three pancakes drizzled with syrup. It looked delicious.

"I made these ones myself, and I decided I need a guinea pig before I tried them myself," he joked. He took her hand and dragged her to the dining room, sitting her down and watching her anxiously as she cut into the pancake, right through the middle. His face fell as she began to laugh. "What's funny about me cooking?" he pouted, rather adorably in Rachel's opinion. She slid the plate toward him, suppressing a grin.

"See for yourself."

He picked up a half-pancake and took an experimental bite, immediately gagging and spitting it out. "Oh. I undercooked it."

"A little bit," she laughed, picking up the other half of the pancake and gathering some batter onto the tip of her finger. "Mom, come look at Jesse's excuse for a pancake!" she called, much to Jesse's horror.

"Shelby, it's really no big deal, it's just a little undercooked!"

Shelby ignored him and strolled into the dining room and picked up the piece of pancake Rachel was holding. She sighed. "At the risk of sounding immature… I told you so."

"Well, whatever," Jesse sulked. "I'm too badass to cook, anyway." He ignored their scoffs and walked into the kitchen. He came back with a tall stack of Shelby's pancakes.

"Hey, those are mine and Rachel's!" she protested. Jesse smiled and showed off three forks he had brought with him. He handed the girls one and dug in.

"Remind me to never invite students to my house ever again," Shelby stage-whispered to Rachel. She laughed quietly.

"Only if you promise to remind me to never invite Jesse over for breakfast," she stage-whispered back. Jesse smirked playfully at the two.

"Please. Like you could go without special St. James time."

There was suddenly a loud, quick knock on the door.

"Oh, I'll get it," Rachel said cheerfully. Jesse shrugged and followed.

"Oh, should I hide? Wouldn't want the neighbors to gossip," he joked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She smiled up at him, but shrugged off his arm.

"Maybe you should, I would hate to start a scandal," she chuckled. She pulled the door open, and the mirth left her face completely.

A boy with a mohawk was on the other side, leaning on the doorframe and smiling in what was supposed to be a sexy way.

"Hey, babe."

**BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, another cliffy. This chapter is so bipolar. First it was angsty, then it was fluffy, then it was dramatic. Whoa :D**

**So, anyway, I wanted to give a shout out to the person who left me one of the nicest reviews I've ever gotten: **

**CG07, thank you so much! That was so nice to say :D**

**Random fact: While writing this chapter, I listened to Burning Up Glee version on repeat. I'm burning up for **_**you**_**, JGroff ;)**

**So, me no own Glee. Yeah. **

**TEN REVIEWS UNTIL THE NEXT CHAPTER! And this time I mean it, guys! **

**Cheers,**

**-Harlot. **


	7. Chapter 7

"Noah Puckerman, what are you doing here?" Rachel demanded, her eyes watering up. He didn't seem to notice. He was too busy glaring at Jesse.

"I'm here to visit my girl. The more important question is, who's that punk?"

"Excuse me?" Jesse sneered. "_I'm _hardly the punk in this situation. You're the idiot who knocked up his best friend's girlfriend!"

Noah's shoulders drooped and he stared at Jesse, a mixture of fury and panic on his face. "Hey, I made a mistake. At least I don't go around chucking eggs at other people's babies!"

"Jesse never egged me!" Rachel protested.

"I was talking about my car," Noah said absentmindedly, refusing to take his eyes from Jesse's.

"Oh, yes, because easily fixed vandalism is so much better than adultery!" Jesse snapped, getting in Noah's face. "You can clean egg yolk off a car, but you can't exactly clean a baby out of that chick's uterus!"

"Don't judge me, asshole! We were drunk and I was horny!" He turned to Rachel pleadingly. "I would take it back in a sec if I could, babe. You know I would."

"No, you wouldn't. Because you're a sex shark, Noah, and you have to keep swimming," she said before swiftly closing the door in his face. She collapsed on the couch and buried her face in her hands. She was so caught up in her own grief she didn't hear Jesse storm out the door.

* * *

Jesse stomped over to Noah and got in front of him, his face furrowed in rage.

"Do you have any idea how much you hurt her?" he demanded, getting in his face again. "She couldn't even drive home after she found out last night! She was crying too hard!"

"Listen, I know I hurt her, and I feel bad, okay?" Noah barked, rubbing the back of his neck angrily. He pushed Jesse away. Jesse pushed back angrily.

"If you really felt sorry, you wouldn't be leaving, you'd be staked out on the porch, yelling for forgiveness!" he snapped. Noah pushed back, and Jesse saw red before tackling him to the ground, pinning him down and punching him repeatedly. Noah managed to get out of his grasp and land a few punches, the most painful at his left eye. The fight continued for a minute before a shrill, watery voice interrupted them.

"Noah, Jesse, stop it, now!"

The fight immediately ceased as both of them stared up at a very tearful Rachel Berry.

"I can't believe you guys were so idiotic as to physically beat each other! I knew Noah was stupid, Jesse, but you? I'm disappointed." She sighed and hauled him to his feet. "Noah, go home now. I don't want to see your face ever again. In case you're too thick to understand, I'm breaking up with you."

She turned and dragged Jesse into the house, up the stairs, and into her bathroom. She started pulling out basic medical supplies; neosporin, bandages, gauze, cotton swabs, and cotton balls. She first dabbed at the wounds with the cotton balls, and applied the neosporin with a cotton swab. She then cut the gauze into thin strips where it was particularly bad, fastening them with bandages, then putting bandages without gauze over the not-so-nasty cuts. She sighed and shook her head at him, storming into her bedroom and closing the door. She hadn't said a word once. Jesse looked into the mirror and groaned.

"Really, Rachel? Hello Kitty bandaids?" He got up and peeled them off gently before running down the hall to Shelby's room. "Shelby, do you have any regular, skin colored bandages? I don't really want to run around with cartoon kittens on my face." He heard Shelby laugh, and there was as slight rustling sound before she walked out with a box Bandaids. When she saw his face, however, it fell out of her hands, and little white strips fell to the floor.

"What happened to you?" she demanded, dragging him back to the bathroom and sitting him down on the sink. She started patching him up the same way, but used the tan, standard-issue bandages. He smiled in thanks.

"That Puckerman kid and I got into a fight," he explained, wincing at the stinging pain he felt as the neosporin hit his cut again. "He's such an ass, I honestly don't see what Rachel sees in him. He's a delinquent."

"Yes, I never liked him," she agreed, applying the final bandage. She stepped back and admired her handiwork. "Though you're equally as dumb, for getting in a fist fight. Practice is going to be hell tomorrow, and you know I'm not going to go easy on you when I get into coach mode," she said bluntly. Jesse chuckled and hopped off the counter.

"I wouldn't expect any different, Shelby."

"Good. Don't think I'm going all soft because you're leaving soon."

"I'd bet good money you'll cry at my graduation."

"You're on."

Jesse and Shelby shook on it, and the second Jesse spotted Rachel's door, his whole body sagged. "I'm going to make sure she's okay. She's pretty peeved that I fought Puckerman. I have to go apologize."

"Rachel can't hold grudges, Jesse, she'll forgive you within the hour," Shelby said in a very blasé way, and Jesse missed the calculating look in her eyes.

"I know, but she still deserves an apology," he said easily. He opened the door to Rachel's bedroom and Shelby watched him go, proud to know that her favorite student had turned out so well.

* * *

"Rachel?" Jesse asked softly. He walked over to her bed and sat on the edge, smiling as she pulled the covers further over her head. "Come on, Rach, don't be mad. I was defending your honor. He's an asshole, and I know you can handle yourself, but… I want to stand up for you. You're my best friend— yes, you've finally reached that level— and I want to protect you." After a moment of thick silence, Rachel slid out from beneath her blanket and smiled brightly at him, flinging her arms around his neck as she hugged him with all her might.

"Jesse, you're the greatest," she whispered, refusing to let go. Jesse's arms slithered around her waist, and he buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of her pomegranate shampoo.

"I know." They laughed for a minute before ending the hug, though Jesse's arm was still wrapped protectively around Rachel.

"You know, since I'm such a great guy, you should let me take you out for some non-dairy ice cream. It sounds like you need it."

The windchimes chimed softly as Jesse opened the door of the new-age ice cream parlor for Rachel. She smiled thankfully as she entered, immediately rushing over to the selection and reading each little plastic label on the tub. Jesse walked over at a much more casual rate, glancing at the different tubs and immediately knowing what he wanted.

"I'll have a double scoop cookies and cream on a waffle cone, please," he said politely. The woman began scooping as she simultaneously entered Jesse's order into the machine. Rachel tapped her finger on her bottom lip as she mulled over her choices.

"I'll have a single scoop bubble gum in a cup, with a gummy bear topping, please," she ordered finally. Jesse fished a five-dollar bill out of his pocket and handed it over easily, smiling his St. James smile as he told her to keep the change. Rachel smiled and picked up her ice cream. She skipped over to a table, Jesse's hand in hers as she pulled him along.

"Thanks so much, Jesse. You're seriously the greatest," she chirped, taking a spoonful and licking it happily. She saw an odd look on Jesse's face as he stared at her tongue and blushed. "What?"

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head as if trying to clear his mind. Rachel shrugged it off and continued to eat her ice cream. "So, tell me all about the ins and outs of Vocal Adrenaline."

"Well," Jesse began, "It's taxing." He bit into his waffle cone and chewed slowly, trying to think of anything he had left out. A few things came to mind. "Apart from what I told you, there's only a few things you need to know. Never, _ever _talk back to Shelby. She will kill you in coach mode, regardless of the fact that you're her daughter. Secondly, if you don't go along with funkification by choice, you are not considered a _real _member of the club. If you say your mom has threatened to take your car away, they will understand." He took another bite of the waffle cone, and the cold ice cream hurt his teeth as he accidentally bit into it. He ran his tongue over it to warm it up before continuing. "Also, Andrea and Giselle are huge gossips. Don't tell them _anything_, or the whole club will know within the next hour. You stick with me," he smiled charmingly, and Rachel's heart fluttered strangely, "and you're golden. Everyone will respect you."

"I'd rather have their respect because I've earned it, not just because my best friend is the captain," Rachel smiled, popping a gummy in her mouth. It had cooled from the ice cream, and was hard to chew.

"Well, being best friends with the captain will help you get through the beginning stages, at least."

"Beginning stages? What beginning stages? I was never told there would be beginning stages! What have you gotten—"

The chimes above the door sounded again, and two _very _familiar people stepped in.

"Listen, Puckerman, I need the non-dairy crap because I heard the hormones given to cows is bad for babies, and I'll be damned if this thing comes out with a cow tongue!" A blond pregnant girl walked in, her hands on her belly as she chewed off a tall Jewish boy with a mohawk. Rachel choked on her gummy bear and coughed violently, unfortunately drawing the two newcomers' attentions.

"Rachel?"

"Noah."

**Ohhhh, I am so mean! Hahahahahaha x)**

**So, you guys are amazing. Thanks to all who reviewed, and make sure to review the second time around! Thanks! :D**

**Cheers!**

**-Harlot (Have I ever told you guys my real name? Huh. Eh, most of you probably don't care anyway x) )**

**PS: I don't own Glee.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Contains West Side Story spoilers (even though essentially everyone knows how it ends, I thought I'd be careful). **

**Me no own Glee. **

Rachel's spoon clattered to the floor and she stiffened, turning her wide eyes to stare at Jesse helplessly. He smiled, but Rachel could see he was tense from his stiff posture and his dark eyes. 

"I'll take care of this," he promised softly, standing up and facing Noah, moving to stand in front of Rachel casual, though he still had a fierce, protective air about him. "Listen… Noah, is it?" his tone was a dangerous mixture of cool politeness and badly veiled fury. "I think it best if you don't speak to Rachel. You've caused her a good amount of grief, and I'd prefer if you didn't put her through any more."

"I feel pretty frickin' sure Rachel doesn't want you talking for her," Noah sneered. Jesse smirked humorlessly.

"Like you just did?"

"Shut the fuck up," he said, his ears turning red. Rachel stood up angrily, and tried to get in Noah's face, but Jesse held her back gently.

"Don't you _dare_ speak to Jesse like that, Noah, he's done absolutely _nothing_ wrong, and I'd rather you didn't get annoyed after all the damage you've done!" She tore her arm out of Jesse's grip and sat back angrily, her arms crossed so tightly over her chest it looked painful. Jesse pulled his chair around the table and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder. She relaxed slightly and stole his spoon, using it to eat her ice cream. He chuckled and stole it back, eating the ice cream she had intended to eat herself. Noah hovered above them, absolutely twitching with anger.

"What the hell, Rachel? The second we're over, you move on and go on a date with some random Vocal Adrenaline jackass? You hate those guys! You said they're like Nazis!"

"No, Noah, you said they were like Nazis, and guess what? I'm one of them, female lead! And everyone on that team is better than anyone in your stupid glee club! Nicer, too!" Rachel remembered Melissa and realized it was a half-lie, but trudged on nonetheless, "And Jesse and I are just friends, and even if we weren't, _it wouldn't be your business._"

Quinn stepped forward, her hands wrapped protectively around her belly. She had tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry for the hurt we've caused you. I was drunk, and… I'm so sorry."

Rachel froze and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath before addressing Quinn. "Thank you for the apology. I appreciate it," she said stiffly before grabbing her ice cream and a fresh spoon. "Jesse, we should go," she muttered. Jesse watched her with sad eyes but complied, but he quickly ordered four scoops of bubble gum ice cream with a gummy bear topping. He had a feeling she would need it. Rachel simply stood by his side and slid a five-dollar bill on the counter. Jesse shook his head and slid it back toward her, slapping his own money on the counter.

"Jesse, I can pay for myself," Rachel said quietly. He rolled his eyes.

"Rachel, you've seen my house. I've got it."

"No, I do." She took his money and slid hers toward the woman again. Jesse rolled his eyes. "Fine." Rachel smiled and took her ice cream, and although she thought she won, Jesse planned on slipping the money into her purse when she wasn't looking.

-insert line here-

"I can't believe him!" Rachel ranted as she slid into the passenger's seat, "I mean, honestly? Thinking he has a right to talk to me like that!" She took an angry scoop of ice cream and jammed it into her mouth. "If I wanted to date you, I could! He has no control over me, honestly! If I wanted to be your girlfriend, or go on dates with you, or kiss you, or whatever, I could, and he has no control over that!"

"You seem to be stuck on that. He said plenty other offensive things, why focus on that?" Jesse observed, smirking. Rachel blushed.

"I-It just… It rubbed me the wrong way, that's all," she stammered. Jesse's smirk grew.

"Oh, Berry, do you have a crush on me?" he gasped in fake shock. "I really shouldn't be surprised. I do have the natural charm, stunning good looks, and amazing talent that leaves girls wanting more."

"I'm sure your modesty is a contributing factor, as well," she said dryly.

"What can I say? I'm a catch."

"Catching you is as good as catching a cold," Rachel joked. Jesse raised his hand to his chest, looking sincerely offended.

"I can't believe you would say that to me, Rachel! Are you always this mean?" he gasped.

"Not mean, funny. There's a difference," she stated seriously. Jesse chuckled.

"Rachel, you are something else," he said simply. Rachel wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. "So, what do you want to do with the rest of our day? We could go to a movie, or hole up in your room and watch Funny Girl, or RENT, or The Way We Were." He started ticking off movies he knew she would like and most likely own, when the perfect one popped into his head. "Or… We could watch West Side Story."

"Oh, my gosh, Jesse!" Rachel squealed, jumping up and down in her seat. "That sounds so fun, oh, I haven't watched it in a while! We should get supplies. Popcorn, and Redvines, and soda."

"I love Redvines," Jesse said as he flipped a u-turn, heading toward the local grocery store. "I mean, what the hell can't they do?"

"They're sure better than Twizzlers," Rachel agreed. They quickly purchased all their items and were soon back at Rachel's house, flitting around Rachel's room and setting everything up to perfection. They transformed Rachel's bed into a fort and set up a table near the bed, overflowing with snacks and beverages. The TV was visible through a large hole in the fort, and Rachel giggled.

"I feel like a little kid," she admitted, stacking the very last pillow and smiling in pride.

"Me, too," Jesse laughed, but his face dropped. "Wait, how are we supposed to get in if it's closed off?" Rachel stopped before carefully removing the pillow in the front. She climbed in and smiled, pulling it back into its original position.

"Fixed!" she said happily. Jesse smiled. It quickly disappeared again.

"What about the snacks?"

"Just bring them in here. Come on, Jess, let's escape reality for a while in our amazing pillow fort."

Jesse climbed in, his arm full of snacks, and pulled the pillow back into position. He pressed the play button and the movie started.

Rachel couldn't help but admire Jesse as he sang along easily with all of Tony's parts, and naturally she sang Maria's. Their voices easily overpowered the TV, and meshed together beautifully. As the movie progressed, they somehow managed to get closer and closer to each other, Rachel snuggled to his side, and Jesse wrapped protectively around her. Tony's death was coming up, and Rachel's eyes were already tearing up. She felt Jesse's arms tighten around her slightly. As Maria sobbed over Tony's body, Rachel lost is and tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I would kill for a love like that," she choked out. "I've imagined my funeral before. I based it off this. I imagined Noah flinging himself on my grave, crying uncontrollably."

Jesse didn't even look phased, and Rachel smiled softly.

"I just wish life was like a musical. In the end, even if it's tragic, at least the characters had someone who lived them unconditionally. And I think that's worth dying for." Rachel raised her hand to wipe away her tears and smiled sadly. "I would give anything for a love like that."

And before she could fully grasp what was going on, Jesse pulled her close and glued his lips to hers.

-insert line here-

**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! **

**So, I've been told a couple times I'm evil for my cliffhangers. But it keeps me motivated! That's how I've been cranking out chapters so fast. **

**So, thanks to everyone who favorited, reviewed, alerted. You guys are so amazing ****:)**

**Ten reviews, people!**

**Cheers!**

**-Harlot (nope, not my real name)**


	9. Chapter 9

Rachel was frozen in shock as Jesse's lips moved against hers, and just before she could get into it, he pulled away and ran a hand through his curls.

"I'm sorry. I'm an idiot. I mean, you and your boyfriend just broke up, and you probably don't even like me that way, and…" He sprung off the bed and rubbed his neck awkwardly. "I'll just go." He then ran out of the door.

Rachel stared at the spot he had just occupied, shocked into silence as her mind tried desperately to process what had just happened.

Jesse had kissed her. Not a platonic cheek kiss, it was straight on the lips, and Rachel could tell it had hardly been platonic. She gently touched her fingertips to her lips and smiled softly. She could still see the fireworks burned into her eyelids. She jolted suddenly and ran out her door after Jesse, but he was already gone.

He didn't answer her calls that weekend, and Rachel was hardly going to announce her repentance and her need for him in a voice mail. That was hardly dramatic. So she waited for Monday; he might avoid her in class, but they had Vocal Adrenaline practice, and he couldn't really ditch, as he was the lead.

So she was patient. Every once in a while during the day, she was see a flash of curly brown hair, but of course, Jesse disappeared around the corner before she could even call his name.

When time finally came for practice, Jesse had a grim sort of air about him; he knew he wouldn't be able to avoid Rachel forever. She flounced up to him smugly.

"You really shouldn't have avoided me all day, Jesse. I wasn't angry, and I actually really need to tell you something."

"Look, Rachel, if you're going to tell me you don't like me, or you just want to be friends, please, don't. Just save me the embarrassment, I beg—"

"Jesse, I was going to say that if you had just waited literally one second, I would have kissed you back. But before I could, you ran away," she chuckled. He blushed.

"Well, I wouldn't call it 'running away'…" he said unsurely. Rachel grinned.

"No? Really? I would," she teased, her laughter growing as he blushed further.

"Jesse, I do have feelings for you. I just think we should take things slow. I'm not going to just jump into a relationship with you, we need to kind of… Go through the phases of kindling a relationship."

"I agree," Jesse smiled, "So let's go to Breadstix tonight, I can convince your mom to let us out early."

"Breadstix doesn't have vegan options," she said regretfully.

"They have really good salads, and you can order them without the dressing or meat or cheese. I have an aunt who eats vegan, and she let me try it. It's pretty decent."

"Great," Rachel said, buzzing with excitement. "It's a date!"

"It's a date," Jesse repeated. He kissed Rachel on the cheek and jogged over to Shelby, and Rachel smiled at how excited he looked. Giselle seemed to have noticed and walked over, linking her arm with Rachel's and dragging her to the dressing rooms.

"What's going on with you and St. James?" she whispered conspiratorially. Rachel blushed.

"Well, do you want the full story, or the shortened version?"

"I want you to tell me every detail!" Giselle demanded.

So she did.

Giselle whistled lowly as she pulled on her tank top. "Wow. I didn't know Jesse was such a wimp."

"I don't think he was being wimpy, per say. I think he was just freaked out and self-conscious because I didn't kiss him back," she said simply, pulling her hair back in a ponytail. "And I would probably react the same way."

"I wouldn't. I would demand to know why they weren't kissing me back," Giselle said easily, winking at her reflection in the mirror before focusing back on Rachel. "But that's just me."

"I would be too embarrassed, I think," Rachel admitted. She walked out onto the stage, Giselle right behind her. "I mean, I would be too worried to be so upfront about it."

"Well, to each her own," Giselle shrugged. She started stretching and Rachel followed suit, bending down to touch her toes. When she finally straightened out, she came face to face with Jesse.

"Oh!" she gasped. He laughed. "Jesse, don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," he chuckled. "And I talked to your mom, and she agreed to let us out at six, so we have time to freshen up and get to Breadstix by seven."

Rachel beamed excitedly, sending her mom a thumbs-up when Jesse wasn't looking. She rolled her eyes at her daughter, though she was obviously fighting a smile.

"Okay, guys, I've decided that we're going to cut practice a little short today. You're getting out at six, not midnight. Since we don't have the time to really go over the routine today, we're going to have a little bit of a competition for a solo at Regionals," Shelby said in a very business-like manner. "You are going to pair up with someone and sing a duet, and whoever does the best on my judgement will get a solo. You have an hour to pair up and practice, and then we will start. Begin."

Rachel immediately turned to Jesse. "Partners?"

"But of course," he grinned, dragging her to the back of the auditorium, to the very last row of seats. Rachel sat in a plush velvet chair criss-cross applesauce style and faced Jesse, her face gravely serious. "What song are we going to sing? Obviously, as lead vocalists, we'll already have solos, but a competition is still a competition, and I fully intend to win."

Jesse nodded in agreement. "Of course. We need to prove we're the best. That's why I came back here; I want us to practice until we sound so amazing, it'll knock them out of their seats. And we won't be able to do that if they hear us practice." Jesse paused and tapped his chin thoughtfully before his eyes lightened. "I have the perfect song."

Rachel and Jesse were last, and they both watched the other couples with trepidation; they wanted to be the best, and unfortunately, everyone in Vocal Adrenaline was talented in some way. Some were mediocre singers, but their fantastic dance moves made up for it. Some had no rhythm, but their melodic voices easily distracted most of the audience from that. Rachel just hoped they were good enough; they wouldn't be dancing, and they were depending completely on their vocals.

As Giselle and her partner, Chris, finished their rendition of Hell on Heels, Jesse stood up and Rachel followed suit nervously. They got on stage and instantly walked over to the piano, and the player seemed to get the message and got out of their way. Rachel smiled gratefully and sat, carefully tucking her skirt as she did. Jesse began to play, and the soft notes echoed throughout the auditorium.

**I've been alone with you inside my mind **

**And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times **

**I sometimes see you pass outside my door **

**Hello, is it me you're looking for?**

Jesse's voice was velvety smooth, and Rachel felt breathless. When it was her time to start, she almost started too late.

I can see it in your eyes I can see it in your smile

_**You're all I've ever wanted **_

_**And my arms are open wide**_

_**Cause you know just what to say **_

_**And you know just what to do **_

_**And I want to tell you so much **_

_**I love you oooh yeaah**_

Jesse winked at Rachel and she giggled, and the whole room sensed their obvious chemistry; everyone looked impress, even Shelby, though you could hardly tell.

I long to see the sunlight in your hairAnd tell you time and time again how much I care

_**Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow**_

_**Hello, I've just got to let you know **_

_**'Cause I wonder where you are **_

_**And I wonder what you do **_

_**Are you somewhere feeling lonely **_

_**Or is someone loving you? **_

Rachel winked at Jesse, and he laughed quietly, mouthing how ridiculous she looked when she did that. She ignored him.

_**Tell me how to win your heart**_

For I haven't got a clue

_**But let me start by saying, I love you**_

_**Is it me you're looking for? **_

_**'Cause I wonder where you are **_

_**And I wonder what you do (wonder what you do) **_

_**Are you somewhere feeling lonely **_

_**Or is someone loving you? **_

_**Tell me how to win your heart **_

_**For I haven't got a clue **_

_**But let me start by sayin **_

_**I love you**_

The final notes played, and everyone clapped appreciatively, but Rachel could see their performance had left the other teams shaking in their boots. They climbed offstage and sat next to Shelby, cool, confident smiles plastered on their faces. Shelby stood up and took the stage.

"Well, you all did really well, and if it weren't for the fact that Jesse and Rachel weren't lead vocalists, they would win," she began, "However, as they already have solos automatically, they are disqualified from the competition."

Rachel and Jesse boo-ed while the rest of the team cheered heartily.

"Whatever, they're just jealous because we're more talented than them," Jesse whispered cockily in Rachel's ear.

"Totally. Haters be hatin'."

Jesse laughed so loudly the team sent him strange looks, but they quickly ignored them as Shelby resumed talking.

"So, our first place team is Giselle and Chris!"

The team clapped half-heartedly, and Giselle stood up and pumped her fists happily. Shelby rolled her eyes and cleared her throat, demanding the team's attention once again.

"You may go. But make no mistake, tomorrow _will _be a midnight practice, don't think I'm going soft!"

Rachel grabbed her bag and practically sprinted to her car; she had a date to get ready for.

She pulled into her driveway and ran into her house, straight upstairs to her room. Desperately, she ran into her closet, sifting through her clothes like a madwoman until she found the perfect outfit.

It was bright green with puff sleeves, adorned with yellow bows. She paired it was her favorite yellow mary-janes and grey tights. It was perfectly Rachel Berry. She laid it on her bed and hopped into the shower, bathing quickly so she would still have time to do her hair and makeup.

She dressed quickly and started on her hair, simply curling it like always, but she also dusted it with gold glitter so it sparkled in the light. She did her makeup mostly naturally, only using mascara and lip gloss. She thought she looked pretty good, if she said so herself. Which she did.

The doorbell rang, and Rachel's stomach fluttered nervously. It was time for her date.

So, I did the best I could trying to keep to the Rachel Berry style. If I failed, sorry. I tried.

**Read part two of the Bouquet series, Gladiolus! It's lovely, if I say so myself. Which I do :)**

**So, ten reviews, and thanks to all who did! (or favorited, or alerted, or the likes)**

**Cheers!**

**-Harlot (who doesn't own Glee)**


	10. Chapter 10

Rachel raced down the stairs and smiled brightly as she opened the door. Jesse was waiting, a smile on his face as he offered her a dozen yellow roses. Rachel beamed at him and accepted them gratefully.

"You look beautiful," he complimented, and Rachel could hear the sincerity in his voice. She blushed and gave him a once over; he was wearing simple black jeans and his combat boots, but was also donning a dark blue button up shirt, so Rachel could tell he put in an effort.

"You look quite handsome yourself," she replied, taking his hand easily. He smiled cockily.

"As usual." Rachel laughed and bumped shoulders with him as they made way to his car. He held the door open for her and she climbed in gracefully, silently thanking god she hadn't fallen in her Jesse-induced haze. He got in and started driving, and Rachel was shocked to see he was driving in the complete opposite direction of Breadstix.

"Jesse, you're going the wrong way," she told him, pointing over her shoulder. He chuckled.

"I hope you don't mind, but I told my uncle I had a date, and he said Breadstix wasn't a good idea. He recommended this café downtown. Says it's not too crowded, and tonight just happens to be 40's night. It's like a couples night for swing dancing, and I thought it would be fun," he admitted. "If you really want to go to Breadstix, though, I can turn around."

"No," Rachel said quickly, "it sounds like fun! I've never really swing danced, before, though, so I might make a fool of myself."

"I won't let you," Jesse assured, looking pleased with himself, "I know how, and I can lead you so it's effortless. Trust me, it's easy."

"I'll take your word for it," she said excitedly. "Wow, this is going to be the best date I've had in a while. Noah would always take me to Breadstix. One time, he tried to get me to rob a Quickee Mart with him."

Jesse laughed in surprise. "What you saw in him, I will never understand."

"He was sweet, in the beginning. He always bought me grape slushies, and serenaded me on his guitar. But then he just kind of… Changed. I'm glad it's over, honestly. You're ten times the guy he is," she said shyly. Jesse smiled and grabbed her hand, letting their entwined hands rest on the center consul.

"You deserve better than him."

"I know."

"Your modesty astounds me sometimes, Rachel," he chuckled, parking in front of a well-lit café. Rachel grinned and hopped out of the car, practically skipping into the shop with Jesse hot on her heels.

It was very bohemian, with paisley couches and Persian rugs dotting the room. A large dance floor sat in the very middle, and right behind it was the counter. Rachel smiled brightly and hugged Jesse enthusiastically.

"Jesse, this place is wonderful!" she squealed. He smiled and hugged back, and he leaned in to kiss her, but seemed to think better of it. "What's wrong?"

"Well, you said you wanted to go through this the right way, which means I save the kiss for the door," he explained. Rachel grinned up at him; finally, a guy who did things right. She reached up and kissed him gently on the lips, and the fireworks flashed behind her eyelids as he eagerly responded. His lips tasted like spearmint gum, and were soft yet firm as they worked against hers. Rachel reluctantly pulled away for air.

"It's sweet of you to think like that, but that's only for the first kiss," she explained, "and seeing as we already technically _had_ our first kiss—"

"That one during West Side Story didn't count," Jesse countered. "Because that was me kissing you, and you were too busy being in awe of my wonderful kissing skills to kiss back."

"Well, then, we just had our first kiss, Mr. St. James. How was it?" she asked, trying to sound blasé even though her stomach was doing somersaults in anticipation of his answer. He fake-pondered for a moment before pressing his lips to hers again.

"It was the best kiss I've ever had in my life," he whispered. Rachel blushed and was about to respond when the person at the counter coughed irritably at them. Rachel blushed deeper, but Jesse just looked annoyed.

"Yes?" he demanded coldly. The twenty-some year old woman at the counter rolled her eyes.

"You have to order, or it's considered loitering," she said listlessly. Rachel examined the menu and came to a decision.

"I'll have the fruit salad and a lemonade, please," she ordered politely. The woman filled her order and placed the dishes on the counter before staring expectantly at Jesse. He glared at her for a minute before looking at the menu.

"Um… I guess I'll have the turkey brie panini and a decaf coffee, black." Rachel scrunched her nose.

"You drink black coffee?" she asked. She had tried it before- that's how her mom drank it, and she was curious. "Ugh."

"It's stronger that way," he defended.

"It makes your breath stink," she countered. Jesse dropped money on the counter and they grabbed their food off the counter and sat on a sofa that was right in front of a coffee table. Rachel speared a piece of cantaloupe and popped it into her mouth. It was delicious.

"This is really good!" she said happily. She stuck another piece of fruit and offered it to him, and he carefully dragged it off the fork with his teeth.

"Pretty good. Not a big fan of honey dew melon, though," he said. He took a swig of coffee and smiled. "This is pretty good. I'm glad my uncle recommended it."

Rachel was too busy staring at his cup of coffee, her nose wrinkled. "I hope you're not expecting a good bye kiss after drinking that."

Jesse raised an eyebrow at her as if she had challenged him. "Oh, I'm getting a good bye kiss. Trust me, you won't be focusing on the taste of coffee." He winked at her before taking another long drink, prompting her to laugh.

"We'll see," she said, trying to sound cryptic, but she failed miserably as her speech was peppered with giggles. They ate in a comfortable silence for a while before Jesse stood and bowed slightly.

"Miss Berry, would you honor me with a dance?" he asked, gesturing to the other couples swaying happily on the dance floor.

Rachel stood up and curtsied before taking his hand and leading him to the floor. He smiled and brought their hands up so they were parallel to their shoulders. His other arm snaked around her waist while hers fell on his shoulder, and Rachel swayed them back and forth a little before mimicking the other couples, with complicated turns and twirls and dips. Rachel giggled and followed Jesse's lead effortlessly.

"This is so much fun," she laughed, gasping slightly as he dipped her again. He leaned in so close that Rachel thought he was going to kiss her, but instead he whispered in her ear.

"I'm a fun guy." He pulled her up with ease and twirled her, and on the return, when she was tucked into his side, she whispered in _his_ ear.

"Tease."

Jesse growled and pulled her close, resuming the original position. The song ended and Rachel escaped his grip, smiling flirtatiously at him as she walked back over to the couch, Jesse close behind. She sat down and smiled innocently up at him as he joined her.

"You call me a tease," he chuckled, pulling her close and kissing her on the lips.

"Isn't this an excessive amount of kissing for a first date?" she mumbled against his lips. Jesse ceased the kiss and shrugged.

"Well, if it's too much, we can stop," he said easily. Rachel smiled.

"It's not that I _want_ to stop, but I want to talk," she corrected.

"What about?" he asked, draping his arm around her shoulders. She considered for a moment before grinning.

"Let's play twenty questions!" she said excitedly. "Um… Favorite color?"

"Black," Jesse replied instantly. "Yours?"

"Blue, and you can't repeat the question, that's not creative!"

"Fine, fine," he repented, "What's your favorite animal?"

Rachel considered for a moment. "Cats, I guess."

"Mine too," Jesse smiled. Rachel grinned back, glad to see they had yet another thing in common.

"Okay, what's your favorite book?"

"Sounds of Sondheim. He's kind of my hero," he admitted. Jesse glanced at his watch and his eyes widened. "Whoa, we gotta get you home. It's almost curfew."

During the car ride home, they continued asking pointless questions, finding out random little facts about each other. Rachel scowled at her house as it grew closer. Jesse walked her up to the front door, looking elated and disappointed at the same time.

"Tonight was fun. I wish it didn't have to end so quickly," he said.

"I know. I feel like time flew too fast." Rachel tilted her head up and glued her lips to his, kissing him with as much passion as she could muster. She pulled away and giggled at the dazed look in his eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jesse."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Rachel," he muttered dreamily. Rachel gave him one last peck on the cheek before disappearing inside the house.

That had definitely been the best date of her life.

**Awww, cute and fluffy. Yay! **

**Check out all my other stories, yo! **

**Random fact: Five days until I turn sixteen! Woot :D**

**Ten reviews, people! **

**Cheers!**

**-Harlot (who doesn't own Glee)**


	11. Chapter 11

Okay, this idea popped into my head, and as I never established a time, I'm gonna make it work! (Tim Gunn voice). I thought Jesse's reaction would be adorable, so I had to!

**Hope you like it ****:)**

**Disclaimer: Me no own. **

Rachel entered the Carmel confidently, feeling very much in school spirit. Winter Formal was coming up, and the theme was Hollywood. There was a whole week full of fun, pop-culture inspired spirit days, and this had to be Rachel's favorite yet.

Pop star day.

Sure, western day had been fun, and so had greyscale, but she had to say, nothing was more fun than to dress up like a famous singer and belt out their hit singles all day. Especially if that singer was Britney Spears.

Rachel had the perfect schoolgirl outfit, bare midrif and all. She could tell the people at school liked it from all the catcalls from the men and compliments from the girls, and she couldn't wait to see Jesse's reaction- she was sure he would love it. Her mom, who had surprisingly adored it, seemed to think so, anyway, and Rachel could only hope she was right.

She was in for quite the shock when Jesse pulled her into a random classroom for a reason other than making out.

His jaw had dropped comically when he saw her, and his eyes had bugged out of his head. A second later, she found herself seated on a stool in the art room as Jesse, dressed as Freddie Mercury and looking quite handsome, paced back and forth, mumbling madly. He finally stopped in front of her and, after a few studders, managed to get out what he was trying to say.

"What do you think you are wearing?" he asked angrily, his voice dangerous and low. Rachel frowned and looked down at her outfit nervously.

"You don't like it?" she asked sadly. "I thought I looked good…"

"Of course I like it. But that's…. That's not school appropriate! And those guys out there, they can't… They don't get to see you like that. Don't you have clothes you can change into? You have your practice clothes, right? Put those on. Please."

Rachel's jaw dropped. How dare he tell her what to do? She was Rachel Barbra Berry! She was not to be bossed around, not even by Jesse!

"I am not going to change, Jesse, besides… My practice clothes are no better," she mumbled the last part, and Jesse's anger grew.

"For Christ's sake, are you trying to kill me?" he demanded. Rachel's frown deepened. She knew she was treading in dangerous territory with Jesse, and decided to switch topics.

"You look quite handsome in your Freddy Mercury costume," she complimented brightly. His lips twitched like he was about to smile, but he seemed to want to stay angry.

"Thank you. Now stop changing the subject," he ordered.

"Think of it this way, Jesse, they get to see, but they can't touch." She gave him a sweet kiss on the lips before she scooped up her bag and left for her next class. She could hear Jesse swearing under his breath from behind as he followed.

"Can you at least button your blazer?" he grumbled. Rachel rolled her eyes.

"No, Jesse, I can not. I refuse, because I feel good right now, and I don't _want _to change. So just, please, deal with it? This is good for me, it's a nice confidence boost, and I really need it," she said pleadingly. He sighed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Okay. You do look great, but I think we should save this outfit for the bedroom," he winked.

"Fine," she conceded with a giggle. "Also, Freddie Mercury isn't a pop star. He's a rock star."

Jesse ignored her, though when he thought she wasn't looking, she saw him stare at himself doubtfully in a window they passed.

Practice was absolutely gruesome. Jesse covered her the entire time, growling every time her stomach was exposed, as her sports bra was leaving little to the imagination. The entire thing was actually very strenuous, and Rachel was covered in a light sheen of after fifteen minutes. Apparently, that made her look even better, as Jesse worked harder to sheild her from the prying eyes of the male Vocal Adrenalites.

When it was finally over at one o' clock in the morning, Rachel grabbed a towel and mopped the sweat off her brow. "That was a great practice, and we got a lot done, but I'm exhausted," she panted, continuing in her practice of dabbing her sweat off with a towel. She threw it carelessly to the side and collapsed on a small metal bench. "You should carry me to the car."

"No way," Jesse chuckled, wiping his face with a Wet Wipe. He threw it in the trash and put Rachel's towel in the marked bin, all the while giving her a patronizing stare. She smiled bashfully.

"Please? My legs are so tired they're numb," she whined, though she finally stood and grabbed her bag. "Fine, fine, let's go. I need to get my…" she looked at her phone and groaned, "five hourse of sleep, or I won't be able to operate tomorrow."

"Five Hour Energy," Jesse stated, as if that were an obvious solution. "You hate coffee, right? So use that."

"Maybe, it's probably a lot better than those energy drinks you're always guzzling," she joked. He chuckled and shrugged.

"They get the job done if I'm in a hurry and can't make coffee!" he defended. "Besides, Rockstars are good. I don't drink that Monster crap, though."

"Oh, yes, Monsters are just so beneath you," Rachel scoffed, glad she could have such wonderful banter with her… Boyfriend? Was he her boyfriend, or were they just dating, or were they just friends with benefits? If it was the prior, she would of course have to end it immediately; as she was not some booty call. Calling it dating would be okay with her, but she wanted to be official with Jesse, not just some undecided 'maybe'.

"Jesse?" Rachel asked unsurely. She wasn't sure if she should go out and say it; she decided that as it was such an important topic, she couldn't follow true Rachel Berry style and go out with guns ablaze. She needed to beat around the bush a little. "So, we went on a date, and we hold hands and kiss and everything, and I really like you…." She blushed. "So what exactly does that mean? For us, I mean."

Jesse considered for a moment in heavy silence before coming to a stop. He turned to face Rachel and smiled as he got down on his knee. "Rachel Berry," he started dramatically. "Would you do me the great honor of being my girlfriend?"

Rachel giggled and hauled him up to a standing position. She threw her arms around his waist and kissed him on the lips for a moment. "Of course, how could I say no?"

Jesse beamed down at her and kissed her back, and it was so sweet and passionate that the air around them seemed to crackle with electricity as fireworks exploded behind their eyelids. A clear, angry voice interrupted their perfect moment.

"Wow, Rach, you sure move on fast."

Rachel spun around, and was shocked to meet the livid eyes of one Noah Puckerman.

**Hi ho, hi ho, what happens next? Review and you'll know! **

**Seriously, ten reviews ;)**

**Cheers! **

**Harlot **


	12. AN

So, guys… Bad news. I wrote the newest chapter for this on my own computer, in the middle of the night. It's a slower computer, and I prefer the family one, but I was inspired to write… So I did. It was there.

**What I didn't know was that my mom had just disconnected the internet on that one, so I couldn't post it on here. So I tried switching it over on my USB… But it turns out that my slow, piece o' crud computer doesn't read my USB. I can't find a way to transfer it over. But I will, guys! I promise! **

**I just thought you should know that I'm not a complete fail, and I did write an update- one I really like, actually. It gives a good look into the way Vocal Adrenaline works in this fic. **

**Sorry for the delay, guys. I LOVE YOU MUCH :D **

**Cheers! **

**Harlot **


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